Tom is a recent sled
enthusiast who began collecting, primarily Flexible
Flyers®, in 2002.This is a
“family affair” since two of his favorite sleds are gifts from his
wife, Nancy, and brother, David.

Why
"Yule Race" for the name of his collection?
"Well", as Tom explains, "people who really know me
understand that the joy of the Christmas season goes on and
on". "Yule" does not refer just to a brief winter
interlude of twelve days. Also, if you are around the Evans
and their sled collection-- and it snows --"you'll (Yule)
race". Unfortunately, great sledding snows are few and far
between in his home area of tidewater and central Virginia.
Nevertheless, he fondly
recalls the sledding days of his youth (more than a few years ago) in
northern Virginia andPennsylvania when “snows were deep and winters were cold”.

1.Fire
Fly Coaster, No.10 a.c. 1890 - 1892 One of the very early sleds by the S. L. Allen &
Company of Philadelphia, PA. after Samuel
Allen patented the Flexible Flyer® sled in 1889.The Fire Fly was named after the company’s Planet Jr.
Seeder. It has an all wood frame and no bumper. Reintroduced in 1935
with a partial steel frame. Length: 36”.Original
finish.

2.Flexible
Flyer®No. 4.
c. 1908 - 1911 This early Flexible Flyer®
has wooden side rails that run the length of the sled and join to a wooden
front bumper. The grooved runners attach to the rails at the front
in a goose-neck configuration. Grooved runners were introduced in
about 1908 on larger models, possibly leading to the "B" series
designation. Note: the original finish combines with rich
brown patina of the wood. This sled was originally equipped with a
pair of foot rests. Length: 50"

3. Flexible Flyer®No. 1 c.c.
1915 - 1920 The all wood frame of the earlier “B” series gave
way to a steel front and partial steel side rails. The Flexible Flyer®
trademark with an American flag shield, along with an eagle and banner,
was replaced in 1921 with one depicting a sled, together with the eagle
and banner.

Length: 38”.Original
finish. A gift from my wife, Nancy.

4. Flexible Flyer®No. 3 c. c.
1915-1920

Length:
48”.

Original finish on
deck and logo.

(See 2.
above)

5.Flexible
Flyer® No. 2 c.c. 1921 - 1928 The Flexible Flyer® trademark with an American flag
shield, along with an eagle and banner, was replaced in 1921 with one
depicting a sled, together with the eagle and banner. Otherwise, it was
like the earlier models in the “C” series that began in c. 1915.

Length:
42”.Original finish.

6. Flexible Flyer®
No. 3 c.c.
1921 - 1928(See 4. above)

Length: 48”.Original
finish.

7. Flexible Flyer®
Racer, Series D.c. 1921 - 1926 S. L. Allen introduced his first racer in 1906.It was “built low and
rather narrow, with unusual length of runner extending well forward and to
the rear, insuring high speed”.

The D
Series retained the one piece steel bumper of the earlier Racer C Series,
with a steering design essentially unchanged from the first steel fronted
sleds. The steering was enhanced in the later G series with the super
steering (see photos of the bumpers of the Series G Racers below.

11. Flexible Flyer®,
Airline Patrol, No. 44.c. 1950-1954 In 1950, the “Airline” series displayed the name
(e.g., Airline Patrol) on the
underside of the deck.The no.
44, along with 37, 55, and 65 were “Standard Models” with wider decks
and straight sides. No.s 41, 47, 251, and 60 were “Racing Models”
featuring narrow, sloping and tapered decks.

Length: 44”.Original finish.

12. Flexible Flyer®,
Airline Junior, No. 251 H.c.
1955-1960 The No. 251 H was first introduced in 1950 with a red
and black bumper. In 1955 the chrome bumper appeared. The name “Airline
Junior” was displayed on the underside of the deck.The “Airline” series ended before 1962.After that, sleds were designated only with model number and
series, e.g., No. 51 J

Length: 51”.Original
finish.

This particular sled has the apparent experiment of changing the steering
mechanism. Note the double riveting of the front cross pieces.
In sleds before and after, the side rails, both wood and metal, were
riveted together and the piece keeping the top boards floated free from
the sides of the sled.

13. Flexible Flyer®,
Airline Pursuit, No. 47 H.c.
1955 - 1960 Another sled in the “H” series that followed the
name and numbering pattern of the “Airline” series introduced in 1935.
Length: 51”.

14. Flexible Flyer®,
No. 41 J.c. 1960 - 1968 The “J” series was introduced about 1960 and
continued until 1968 when S. L. Allen Company and Flexible Flyer® were
sold.As in the earlier
“Airline” and ‘H” series, the sled number (e.g., No. 41)
corresponded to its length.The
No. 41 was a “Racing Model”. Length: 41”.Refinished for my younger granddaughter, Hannah, age 4, as a
Christmas present (2004).

16. Flexible Flyer®,
No. 55 J.c.
1960 - 1968 The No. 55 J was one of two “Deep Snow
Models”, along with the No. 65. These were higher than the “Racing
Models”.Red or black
painted side rail were options.

Length: 55”.

In 1968, S. L. Allen Co. and Flexible Flyer® were
sold. 1969, “Winter Products Medina, Ohio” appears on underside of the
deck.The pre-1921 trademark
is displayed. From 1973 through 1993, the sled is Blazon-Flexible Flyer®,
of West Point MS. In 1998
production was moved to China, and ended the
following year.

Christmas
(2004) presents for my two grandsons, Marcus and Tommy, both under the age
of 2.It’s never too early
to introduce them to sledding!

18. Fleetwing.c.
1920’s. This
was, perhaps, one of the earliest sleds produced by the Auto-Wheel Coaster
Company of North Tonawanda, NY, incorporated in
1921.Its predecessor was The
Buffalo Sled Company, founded in 1904.

This sled, with its all-wood side rails, has a designation on the
bottom of the deck as “001” or “100”. Length: 37”.Original
finish.

19. Late Victorian Cutter.c. 1875

Paint and stenciling are original.There are no markings or names to indicate the manufacturer.

Length: 43”.Width:
15”

This sled came from an estate in upstate New York.The person from whom the sled was
purchased saw a photo of the sled, with a little girl (an ancestor of the
estate owner), being pulled by aNewfoundland dog.